Dream chemistry course

[ChemMommy]

What would be in your dream chemistry course?  Dream BIG!!  Would you want a video teacher or a full solutions manual?  Experiments on video?  A gradebook? on-line testing??

 

I've been hired to write a chemistry text for high school homeschoolers and have a lot of input in this conceptual stage.  So, let me have it!

[regentrude]

I would want:

• a text without oversimplifications and conceptual mistakes
• a text that begins with explanations for the reasons behind phenomena before requiring any memorization of naming conventions and solubility rules and the like. This would require a structure that deviates from every introductory chemistry text I have ever seen. Stoichiometry should not be one of the first things; the student should learn first why the reactions happen, and later calculate how much of a product is needed/created. (This is one of my biggest complaints about all chemistry curricula)
• a video teacher who is more engaging than the one from the Teaching Company and who does not treat students like idiots
• video lectures broken into short segments (like Khan academy) where you see problems worked out rather than a teacher's face. The different segments for one lesson should present the theory, relevant demonstrations, worked out examples.
• videos of live demonstrations!!! These are the hardest (and often impossible) part of a real chemistry course to recreate at home
• an option for tests graded by a real human, maybe for a extra fee (I can dream, right?). No computer graded tests that just require a student to input a final answer that can be arrived at without thorough understanding of the procedure. Alternatively, a set of tests with long answer questions and a fully worked solution key for the parent teacher.
• a full solution manual for all practice problems. Without mistakes, please
• a lab manual that is aligned with the text and presents labs reinforcing the material covered at that moment; with clear instructions and a complete lab kit that contains all supplies (like Labpaq, for example, but scheduled to go along with the text)

I do not care for a gradebook, that's overkill with a single student.

[maize]

Everything regentrude suggested!

The only thing I would add is to make available a supply kit with materials matching the experiments in the book. I would prefer experiments that use real lab equipment as much as possible, though some things may be too expensive or dangerous for home use (no fume hood etc.)

 

I have five kids not yet in high school, perhaps this amazing chemistry text will be available for them? How long do you expect the development process to take

[regentrude]

Everything regentrude suggested!

The only thing I would add is to make available a supply kit with materials matching the experiments in the book.

 

I also thought of that when I added to my post above :-)

[8filltheheart]

LOL....the only dream I can imagine with a chemistry course is a nightmare! :)

[Mom22ns]

I like most of Regentrude's suggestions, but those that make my priority list include:

• Clear accurate explanations that are not dumbed down.

• Videos of live demonstrations or labs that are not feasible for home use would be wonderful.

• I don't care if the course includes video instruction, but if it does, please, please make the teacher be someone who is interesting and show his/her face, not just a white board or recorded sound.

• Full solutions guide for practice problems and tests.

• Meaningful labs that are aligned to what is being studied, but please make sure the lab kit is optional :). I already own an entire chemistry lab. I will probably only need a few supplies. Do include a full list of supplies needed and correlate it to the labs they are used in, so I can make wise purchasing decisions.

• Tests that actually test conceptual understanding. Nothing that resembles a trivial pursuit game nor should it be so easy that I can get an A without ever glimpsing the material. The goal isn't a difficulty level, but rather a level of understanding.

[maize]

Oh, and secular only please. I don't know who is hiring you but there is no need to include religious content in a Chemistry text :)

[ChemMommy]

For sure, the text will start with the atom, rather than calculations, and move to bonding and reactions.

 

It will not start with quantum mechanics, but will build to it.

 

Will include full solutions manual (I'll try to make it error-free).

 

Keep comments coming.........

[Guest]

I would add labs done on a DVD for those of us who do not have time for labs or want a full chem lab going on with Littles or have space for lab supplies or live somewhere where shipping such a kit is prohibitively expensive/not allowed. Lab manual for the kids to fill in as the experiment is being done on the DVD.

 

Internet download option for the course for those who live outside of USA with no access to a region free DVD player.

 

I echo secular. No need for religion in ANY science, IMO.

 

Interesting video lessons explaining everything with a full color medium/large font text as a backup.

LOTS of demostrations and examples of concepts/problems.

Problems worked step by step.

Clear diagrams and explanantions of concepts/processes.

Meaningful questions that take more than copying out answers from the book. {no busywork}

[JanetC]

A realistic schedule, where if I allocate one hour per day, I finish in a reasonable number of weeks.  This includes labs -- one thing that drove me nuts about the Spectrum Chemistry lab kit was the widely varying amount of time that labs took, with NO time estimate in the lab introduction.

 

If something happens, some suggestions in the schedule on where I can cut 5 to 10% of the content and still cover the basics.  If my kid is gifted, some suggestions where I can add 5 to 10% for an honors course.

 

Beautifully and accurately illustrated.

[Enjoyinglife365]

ss

[Jen in NY]

Have you ever seen Mrs. Twu Physics?? I want that, for Chemistry. She's awesome.

[ChemMommy]

Love the comments!  Every one has been noted and recorded.

 

I would love to have DVD lessons and clear writing is a MUST.

 

How to handle the lab is completely up in the air.

[PeterPan]

I think the biggest problem in the offerings right now in the homeschool community is that each author was niched in their market/style of who they were writing/recording for.  Take DIVE.  Fine material, but it's just not fitting a whole segment of kids (SN, etc.).  No humor, no visuals, terrible accent, fast pace.  Then take Apologia.  Wordy, wordy, wordy, so no good for kids who want to get in and get out or who don't do well learning to read.  And you can say till you're blue in the face everyone ought to read a textbook to learn, but still there ought to be choices.

 

So it would just be a novel thing if someone put their head on straight and sat down to write a curriculum that addressed ALL the types of learners and the particular needs of the homeschool high school market.  Honestly, it has finally occurred to me that there's *not* typically a lot of middle ground in the homeschool high school market.  The kids who are just totally typical are doing BJU with dvds, Abeka with dvds, whatever, and they're fine, done, no biggee.  The kids we have on our board are all the OTHER kids who aren't served well with that typical option.  You've got the super bright kids who do well with textbooks.  You've got the super bright kids who are also SN who need something ELSE (same bright content, really different presentation).  You've also got the real strugglers who need modified content *and* modified presentation.

 

So it's not just what you could do, but what will specifically meet the needs of your market.  If you actually want to nail it, I suggest doing some statistical work and surveys to figure out where the market is.  Like I say, it's finally taken me getting into it to figure out WHY a lot of the things I look at could NEVER fit my kid.  So are you going for the high end intellectual market, the SN market, a blending of the two, or the general/neurotypical kids?   

[ChemMommy]

 

So it's not just what you could do, but what will specifically meet the needs of your market.  If you actually want to nail it, I suggest doing some statistical work and surveys to figure out where the market is.  Like I say, it's finally taken me getting into it to figure out WHY a lot of the things I look at could NEVER fit my kid.  So are you going for the high end intellectual market, the SN market, a blending of the two, or the general/neurotypical kids?   

 

Very good comments. The publisher is pushing for future STEM majors as the focus. I'm wanting to add how to make a 1/2 year or 1/2 pace program out of it and wanting to add a "what can I cut because my kid doesn't really care about this stuff" lesson plan aspect to it.

 

I hate wordy....so

 

Crystal clear writing so, at least, a parent could read it to a student or so a good reader can read it independently and the parent won't need to be involved.

 

All plans are written in pudding at this point. LOL

[maize]

Very good comments. The publisher is pushing for future STEM majors as the focus. I'm wanting to add how to make a 1/2 year or 1/2 pace program out of it and wanting to add a "what can I cut because my kid doesn't really care about this stuff" lesson plan aspect to it.

 

I hate wordy....so

 

Crystal clear writing so, at least, a parent could read it to a student or so a good reader can read it independently and the parent won't need to be involved.

 

All plans are written in pudding at this point. LOL

Just get it done before my kids need it, OK?

 

;)

[Erin]

Spectrum Chem with a DVD instructor.  

That's about as close to "perfect" as I can think of, personally...